Fourth Sunday after Easter, which is today, right from time, is celebrated in all parishes as Vocation Sunday. It is a day where all, whether priest, religious, doctors, lawyers, engineers, pilots, nurses, politicians, married persons, teachers, single persons and so on, should pause and do thorough self-examination about what they do, and how they go about doing it. By and large, everyone created by God has a talent deposited in him or her, but the issue here is; how do we put to use the divine gift, given to us as children of God? Often times, when we talk about vocation, emphasis is laid more on the clergy or the religious, whom we consider as representatives of Christ here on earth. Whereas, we look up to them for our spiritual growth and nourishment, others too, who are called to various vocations are equally expected to live above board in discharging their duties, whether in the offices, families or in the larger society. The woes of our society today are blamed on the failure and inability of parents to perform their God given role in raising their children in the way and manner that would please God. “Raise a child in the way of God so that when he grows up, he will not depart from it (proverbs 22:6)”. This is important because, everyone comes from the family and where the family fails in its duty, the society bleeds for it. The challenges our society is going through today, given the kind of behaviour some people go about displaying, speaks volume of their backgrounds and where they are coming from.
Viper they say, begets viper. Our society cannot become El Dorado overnight, except the right things are done by individuals and the people as a whole. That families are falling apart in our world today in quick succession, shows that fathers and mothers whose primary duties are to nurture the child, unfortunately have abdicated their God given throne, in pursuit of other things they believe are more important than bringing up their children in the way of God. Vocation therefore means how God calls you to serve Him in this world. Whether you are a male or female, you have a role to play. The life of the old should encourage the young. Whatever you are called for in life to do, do it well. That is vocation and everyone is called and blessed with one talent or another from God. While we look up to the religious and those who have completely surrendered to the divine call, working in God’s vineyard for direction, the lay faithful also have a duty to play their part because all of us cannot belong to the same vocation. In working together in peace and harmony and understanding our vocation, our callings as children of God would shine and most importantly, the purpose of God in our lives would be fulfilled.
